


Forbidden

by Abby_Keeper



Series: The Missing Peice [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Pirate, F/M, Mild Language, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-04 17:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abby_Keeper/pseuds/Abby_Keeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elizabeta has never fit her parents' expectation for a proper lady. Gilbert has always followed his own rules. In an attempt to escape from an arranged marriage that she has no interest in, the headstrong Hungarian convinces the egotistic Prussian to let her join his crew. Pirate AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. I hope you enjoy my story. This is part of a group of four fanfictions. This piece focuses on Gilbert and Elizabeta. The companion pieces focus on Feliciano and Ludwig; Antonio and Lovino (This one is finished and is titled 'Under Appreciated'); and Francis and Arthur. It won't be necessary to read the companion pieces, but it will enhance the story. I will try to update as often as I can, but I can' promise anything. Please leave reviews and comments. I like constructive criticism. Thank you for reading.

"I'm sure that your fiancé will be quite happy to see you, Elizabeta. I do hope that you are more ladylike this time around. No man wants to marry a woman who is so…" Elizabeta's mother stopped, searching for the right word, "brazen. A girl of your age should already be married."

Elizabeta sighed as the topic of marriage came up once again. She had told her parents time and time again that she was not interested. Sure, Roderich seemed nice enough and he was handsome and talented musician. His family had status and he would be more than able to take care of her. However, that was not what she had wanted.

" _Anya_ ," she started, slamming her fork down on the table. "You can try to convince me all that you want, but that is not going to change my feelings."

"Darling." Her mother's pout caused Elizabeta to roll her eyes. "I just want you to be happy."

"I can be happy without a husband. I don't see why-"

Before Elizabeta could finish, she was abruptly cut off by her father. "Elizabeta Héderváry, I refuse to allow you to talk to your mother with such a tone. You are to marry Roderich and I don't want to hear any more protesting."

Elizabeta knew it was pointless to argue. Instead, she folded her arms over her chest and stood up. "I'm going to my quarters, if that is all right with you, Father. Oh, and don't worry, I couldn't escape and swim to shore." As tempting as the notion was it was unrealistic and she knew it.

As she had expected, her words caused her father's face to light up in rage. He opened his mouth to speak, but the door to their private dining area flew open. His head snapped in the direction of the man who entered and Elizabeta felt a little sorry for him.

It was obvious upon looking at him, that this man was not a part of the crew. He looked a bit startled at the greeting he received, but at the same time amused. "I'll just give you a minute," he said not wanting to confront the man who was currently glaring daggers at him. He turned to walk away before remembering the reason he had been down there in the first place. He looked back with a grin. "Oh, and your ship has been captured. We, pirates, expect your full cooperation."

"What?" Her father bolted up after the shock wore off and ran after the man, grabbing his sword as he passed through the doorway. He turned to face the two woman with a stern seriousness on his face. "You are to stay hidden no matter what happens."

As soon as he was out of sight, Elizabeta began to look around for some sort of weapon that she could use. There was no way that she was going to play the part of the helpless girl while the crew risked their lives. Of course, she would most definitely hear about it later, but she didn't really care.

It only took a few seconds for her to come to the conclusion that there was nothing of use in this room. The small kitchen next door, however, was sure to have something. Upon entering, she caught sight of a frying pan. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do. Elizabeta, ignored the confused cries of both the chef and her mother as she made her way to the stairs and eventually onto the deck.

"What do we have here?" one of the pirates said upon seeing her. "A pretty young thing like you would make quite the prize." His greedy eyes made her tense up and her skin crawled as he made his way over to her.

" _Maradj ott!_ " Elizabeta shouted. Her voice was firm, but her body didn't seem to back up her words. Subconsciously, she took a step away with each step he took closer.

A smirk spread across his face, and she realized almost too late that she was uncomfortably close to the edge of the ship. Her hands tightened around the frying pan. It seemed she had no choice. Before she could think about it too much, she raised it up and swung it at the pirate with all of the force she could muster.

To her surprise, he stumbled backwards. His hands covered his nose, but she could see the blood that dripped onto his shirt. Elizabeta lowered her weapon, but didn't dare let it slip from her grasp. All she could do was stare at the man, both pleased with herself and startled by the fact that she had managed to break a grown man's nose.

A loud laugh brought her back to reality. She turned sharply to face the man. A gasp escaped her mouth as she caught sight of him. The pirate's white hair and red eyes had caught her by surprise. She found herself gazing at the unusual looking man. Despite her fascination, a glare formed on her face.

He was laughing at her. Hatred boiled up inside her and Elizabeta took determined steps in his direction. She wasn't entirely sure what she was planning to do, but that didn't stop her. How dare this man laugh at her.

**Anya (Hungarian)- Mother**

**Maradj ott! (Hungarian)- Stay back**


	2. Chapter 2

Gilbert watched as his crew rounded up all of the men that made the other ship run. It hadn't been too difficult for them as most ships were terribly unprepared for skilled pirates. Not to mention, Gilbert and his men were far too awesome to be taken down. They had only failed once and that was only because they had been outnumbered. At least, that's what he claimed.

"Jakob," Gilbert commanded. "Take a few men to search the rest of the ship."

The first mate nodded and followed his orders as Gilbert returned his attention to the others. Some of them had been tasked with making sure that they didn't face any unnecessary resistance. Others were already loading the goods onto their ship. They were efficient and surprisingly well organized for pirates. It was something that the 'Constanze' was known for.

It didn't take long for Jakob to return. Seconds later, he was followed by a well-dressed man that could only be assumed to be the owner of the ship. He had a sword in his hands, but before he could even take two steps he was disarmed and grabbed by two of the pirates. Apparently, the man's confident stance was not backed up by any skill.

"Unhand me," the man said with clear disdain.

Gilbert laughed before nodding to his men. "We should be nice to the man who's giving us all of these wonderful goods."

The pirates laughed and complied with his request. They were silenced by a commotion and Gilbert quickly turned to see what the problem was. At first, he was stunned to see one of his best fighters stumble back words to reveal a young woman wielding a frying pan. However, his surprise was quickly replaced by amusement. He chuckled at the situation, unable to contain himself.

The woman didn't seem to take that response well as she turned to face him. The glare would have been enough to make most people quiver, but Gilbert was not afraid of her. Instead, the look only served to make him laugh even harder. He watched in curiosity as she stormed up to him.

"What is so funny?" she asked, her voice unwavering and fearless. "You ambush our ship, assault my father, and one of your men tried to take advantage of me. I don't see anything funny about any of this."

The pirate with the broken nose spoke up before Gilbert could respond. "This bitch attacked me. I say we teach her a lesson."

Gilbert's expression changed in an instant to one of scary seriousness. "You deserved what you got. No man on my ship will taking advantage of anyone. Just be glad that she stopped you before you went too far. My punishment would have been far worse than a broken nose" He turned his attention to the woman before continuing. "Now, I would request that you drop your… weapon. I usually try to keep from fighting women."

"No," she said.

"Elizabeta. Listen to him," the owner of the ship pleaded. It seemed that she was someone of importance to him. "Please, for once, do what you are told."

"No," Elizabeta responded once more. "I'm done listening to what other people tell me to do."

"Elizabeta!" The man cried out, but it was clear that he was not going to get through to her.

"I hate to cut in, but we're done here," Gilbert said with a grin on his face. "Thank you for the goods. They will fetch quite the price."

The woman gaped at him. What had she expected? She was clearly out numbered. He watched as she looked over at her father before her expression changed entirely. Elizabeta's eyes grew wide with some sort of realization. He didn't wait to see what that realization was, however, as he walked towards his ship.

"Wait!" He heard Elizabeta's cry and stopped. "Take me with you."

"What?" Gilbert said turning abruptly to face her.

"What are you doing? Why would you ask such a thing?" the owner seemed just as taken aback as Gilbert was if not more.

"I'm sorry, Father," she said not looking at him. Her eyes were focused on Gilbert.

"You're throwing away your life. You're throwing away your future," he continued on, receiving no response from Elizabeta.

"I only take man." Gilbert said, laughing at the notion. "Why would I take a girl with me?"

"Please. I can handle myself. " Elizabeta scoffed. Despite this, he could see the pleading look in her eyes. This woman was definitely not like most that he had encounter before her. It was just a little bit thrilling to be challenged by someone. Ordinarily, his men were too afraid of him to talk back, but this girl was bold enough to do it.

"I think she'll be an interesting addition to our crew, Captian," Jakob said with a grin. "She can wield a frying pan better than any of the men. I've never actually seen anyone use a frying pan as a weapon before, but all the same."

Gilbert laughed at what the other man said. He made a good point. "Fine, but no one on the ship is going to pamper you. You will be expected to do the same jobs as everyone else and I don't want any complaining."

Elizabeta beamed, nodding slightly only to have her excitement taken away by her father's words. "I refuse to allow it. I forbid it. No daughter of mine will be a pirate." His face was red with rage and he charged at Elizabeta.

"I'm sorry, but I need my freedom," she said not moving away as he grabbed her arm. She merely drew him into a hug. Surprise caused him to stop in his tracks.

"What will you mother say?" his voice was softer this time. "What will Roderich think."

"Goodbye, Father," she said pulling away and kissing him on the check. "I love you and Mother. Please, tell her that I said so."

He didn't protest as she walked away, but there was a pained expression on his face. All he could do was watch as his little girl left.


	3. Chapter 3

"Not even close," Gilbert said with a grin. He dodged Elizabeta's swing with ease leading to yet another cry of frustration from the woman.

They had been at it for hours and Elizabeta didn't feel like she had made any progress. Sure, she was better at sword fighting than she had been a week ago when he had first decided to teach her how to fight, but she still felt like she had so much catching up to do. This training was starting to make her both love and hate the Captain. He was cocky and infuriating, but the fact that he was taking the time to teach her how to defend herself showed that he cared more than he let on.

"I know what the problem is," Gilbert said.

"The tutor?" Elizabeta jabbed. She laughed slightly despite part of her actually meaning it.

"I'm awesome and don't deny it," Gilbert said flashing her a toothy smile. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it, but she merely passed it off as a side effect of the training. Elizabeta refused to even let anything else cross her mind.

"Now," he said moving closer to her, "your grip needs some work." As he spoke, Gilbert grabbed her main hand and molded it around the hilt. Without letting go, he scooted behind her and brought his other hand across to the sword.

He said something to her, but she was far too distracted by his warm breath on her neck and how her skin tingled when he had made contact with it. Of course, she had been close to a man before, but never this close. A blush spread across her face and she barely noticed when he moved the sword in a slashing motion.

"…listening, Elizabeta?" Gilbert's voice cut through the fog that had formed in her head.

"Huh?" She replied involuntarily before attempting to recover. "Of course I'm listening." The annoyance in her voice wasn't so much directed at him as herself. She needed to focus.

He let go and walked over to his previous position. Gilbert took a fighting stance and Elizabeta followed his lead. As always, Elizabeta made the first actual move. Luckily, it seemed her body remembered what her mind had neglected to pay attention to. She swung her sword just as he had showed her moments ago.

To her surprise, it made a world of difference. Instead of being able to just step out of the way, Gilbert actually had to block the attack. Elizabeta grinned but didn't get much of a chance to celebrate before the man retaliated. She narrowly blocked the rapier before it hit her arm. He moved once more this time swinging for her unguarded left side.

She let out a groan as the blade made contact. Of course, the blades were blunt and wouldn't draw any blood, but that didn't mean that the force of the blow didn't hurt. Gilbert laughed loudly in triumph and allowed himself to be distracted for just a moment. That was long enough for Elizabeta. Ignoring the blade at her side, she took a step back and slashed at the air in front of her. Without stopping the motion, she quickly brought the blade down on him hard.

As expected, he easily deflected the blow, but it did seem that he had been caught just slightly off guard. He didn't give her another chance to swing, however. Before she could react, the tip of his blade was pressed lightly against her chest.

"Nice try," he said, the grin that had been on his face through most of the fight still present.

"I almost had you," Elizabeta retorted. "Imagine the great Captian Gilbert being beat by a girl. What your crew say to that?" She laughed at the thought. They would never let him live that down.

"You couldn't beat me even if I let you win," he teased in return.

"Oh really?" Elizabeta raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips.

"My bet's on Liz, Cap." Elizabeta had almost forgotten that anyone else had actually been on the ship with them. She looked around to find that most of the crew had stopped their work to watch.

"And here I thought you were smart, Jakob," Gilbert said walking over to his first mate.

"Oh, what ever gave you that impression?" Elizabeta jabbed at the man. Despite having only known each other for a couple of weeks, Elizabeta and the rest of the crew got along quite well. Of course, not everyone like her, but that was how it was anywhere.

"I'm surprised, you usually only tease the Captain," Jakob said with a grin that stretched across most of his face. "I was beginning to think that you had a thing for him."

"W-What? I-I don't know what you're talking about." Elizabeta looked away from the two of them in an attempt to hide her blush. She heard Gilbert's loud laugh and it only made her face even more red.

"Gilbert," a young unfamiliar voice broke in, "a couple of the men started a fight near their quarters."

Gilbert's smile faded and he let out a sigh. "Thanks Ludwig, I'll take care of it." He left quickly with Jakob on his heels.

"What are they fighting about?" Elizabeta asked, her concern was clearly showing in her eyes.

"Nothing. I just thought you could use something to take the attention off of you," Ludwig said. Without another word, he walked away and left Elizabeta with her thoughts.

She had never talked to the boy before, but she was grateful to him. This was all too new for her and she was beginning to get overwhelmed. At some point, she would have to make a point of talking to him. Right now, however, she had other things on her mind.

Nobody had ever made her feel quite the same way that Gilbert did. Part of her loved it, but part of her knew that it could never be. She was, after all, betrothed to another man and even if she had left to escape it, she couldn't help but feel guilty. How could she reject Roderich so easily only to find herself liking another man? It wasn't really fair to the poor man. He hadn't done anything wrong, but he was stuck with the short end of the stick. With a sigh, she shook her head and willed the thoughts away.


	4. Chapter 4

Gilbert was surprised to find the crew's quarters just as calm as ever. It seemed that Ludwig had either made the fight up, or they had already moved on. Either way, it didn't matter much to him. It was one less thing to waste his time on.

"Follow me, Jakob," Gilbert said before continuing past the bunk beds and into his own room. "We have some work to do."

It only took about thirty minutes to discuss the plan for the next week. They had taken in quite a haul from the last ambush and they needed to restock. Besides, he could tell that the crew was getting restless. The time had come to dock the ship for a few days. As always, Jakob would take the responsibility for most of the business parts of the stop. He was far better at interacting with the merchants than Gilbert was. They just couldn't handle his awesomeness.

The rest of the day was spent preparing the cargo and clearing space for the supplies. It wasn't a difficult job, but it was tedious and a bit tiring. However, no one complained, it was well worth it to get a much needed break.

They arrived at the docks at about mid-afternoon and the crew anxiously awaited Gilbert's words. "We'll be on land for about a week. You can do what you want, but don't get into trouble and don't come crying to me if you do," he said. There was a grin on his face, but his crew knew that he was serious none the less. They had gotten this speech far too many times to count.

The men waited for a few more moments before making their way off the ship. Gilbert pulled a few men aside to keep watch for the night. He was almost finished when he caught sight of Elizabeta. She looked at the town longingly, but made no move to leave.

"You know you're free to go, right?" Gilbert said walking up behind her.

"Hmm. Oh, Yes. I know." Her voice was soft and full of thought. "I've just never actually been allowed to leave the ship on my own before.  _Apa_  said it was too dangerous. I'm not sure where to go to be honest."

Gilbert smiled realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to show Elizabeta just how awesome he was. "Why don't you come with me, then?" He saw her turn to face him with a slight blush on her cheeks. Nothing was said at first and he couldn't help but feel just a little anxious that she would say no.

"Don't try anything," Elizabeta finally said. He just laughed in response before holding out his hand for her to grab.

Reluctantly, she put her hand in his and a smile spread across his face. Gilbert led her off the ship and they walked down the down the busy streets of the small city together. He was happy to see that she seemed to be enjoying herself. It was all very new to her and it showed in the way she stopped at every stand. Not that Gilbert minded, he was actually enjoying being in the company of Elizabeta when she wasn't trying to act tough to get along with the crew.

"Oh," she said pausing to smell the flowers at a small stand. "We have these back home. I think they're called a  _tulipán_." A faint smile crept across her face and Gilbert couldn't help but stare. The red flower was lovely, but it was nothing compared to the woman standing in front of it.

He coughed and looked away from her. What was he doing? This was stupid. What would people think if they knew he was getting soft? "Pfft. Flowers are a waste of time."

Elizabeta rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. "No wonder you are all alone," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

Surprisingly, her words hurt, but he shoved that from his mind. He didn't have time for something so unnecessary as love. It just got in the way and made you vulnerable.

After a short time, the two found themselves in a tavern. Gilbert, of course, hadn't hesitated to down a few drinks and had been attempting the whole time to get Elizabeta to join him.

"Come on," he prodded. "A drink every now and then is good for your health."

"I can see that," Elizabeta said sarcastically.

"I know, let's have a drinking competition. That will get you in the spirit," he said with a grin before pulling out a pouch of coins. "I'll even give you this if you win."

Elizabeta looked at him for a moment before smiling. However, this smile was not the warm, kind smile that normally graced her face. "Fine. Have it your way." She stood up and walked over to the bar before returning with two tankards.

"Don't cry when you lose," she said as she handed him one.

"Oh please, I'm too awesome to lose. Especially to an unexperienced girl like you," he retorted with a laugh.

Gilbert began to notice that something was up after about the third drink. The effects of the beer were obvious on him, but Elizabeta seemed completely unaffected. He didn't give it too much though, as she had just brought the fourth round.

Two more rounds and the world was spinning, but he wasn't going to give up. Gilbert looked over at Elizabeta and groaned. "It's not fair. You didn't tell me you had a  _schwester_."

"I don't," she said with a laugh. "I think that you should give up."

Gilbert shook his head before emptying his glass once more. He looked over to see Elizabeta lift up her glass to do the same, but before she could he grabbed her arm. "What are you drinking anyways?"

When he got a hold of the cup, he just stared at the contents in confusion. He didn't know that there was a clear kind of alcohol. He shrugged before drinking it. Before he finished the entirety of it, he lost his balance and fell off of the stool.

"Ok. Time for bed," Elizabeta said, helping him up and using her body to support him.

"Hey. You want to know a  _geheimnis_? You can't tell Elizabeta, though," Gilbert said hardly pausing for a response. "I like Elizabeta.  _Sie ist heimlich_. You know what else is pretty? Flowers. They're pretty, too. When did I get in bed?"

He didn't fight Elizabeta as she laid him on top of the covers and removed his shoes. Instead, he watched her movements with a big smile on his face. His eyelids became heavy and it wasn't long before he drifted off.

**Apa (Hungarian)- Father**

**Tulipán (Hungarian)- Tulip**

**Schwester (German)- Sister**

**Geheimnis (German)- Secret**

**Sie ist** **heimlich (German)- She's Pretty**


	5. Chapter 5

Light streamed through the window, causing Elizabeta to cringe just a little. It took her a moment to realize just where she was. A blush spread across her face as Gilbert's words echoed through her head. Of course, she had been slightly excited and startled at first, but the more she thought about it the more she realized that it had probably just been the alcohol speaking. He was far from the type to waste his time on things like love and that was the first time he had ever complimented her.

She pushed her thoughts aside as she got up and prepared for the day. Yet again, she wasn't entirely sure of what to do on her day off, but at least now she had an idea of where things were and what the town had to offer. Still, part of her hoped that Gilbert would offer to spend the day with her once more.

It took her a short time to get ready and head over to the tavern part of the inn. Upon arriving, it was clear that the loud Prussian was still asleep. The place was far too calm for him not to be. Elizabeta hesitated for a moment before walking to the room that she had left him in the night before.

"Time to get up," Elizabeta said opening the curtains and allowing bright sunlight into the room.

The only response she received was a groan of complaint. No doubt he had a hangover. However, she wasn't about to let him off easy. Staying in bed all day was not going to help anything.

"What's the matter? Can't handle a little sunlight?" Elizabeta said pulling his covers away. Some may have seen her actions as a tad bit unsympathetic, but she didn't care. He would thank her for it later.

"Why are you yelling?" Gilbert growled trying to hide his face in the pillow. "Haven't you heard of sleeping in?"

"It's worse if you put it off," Elizabeta said with a laugh. "I didn't know you were such a wimp. I thought Germans were known for their ability to hold their liquor."

"I'm not German," he snapped and sat up a little too abruptly. He held a hand to his head, but didn't attempt to lay back down. "I'm Prussian. We are far more awesome than any stupid German."

"Is that so?" Elizabeta jabbed. "That must be the reason behind my triumph last night. I should really thank you for that pouch of money."

Gilbert rolled his eyes and muttered some profanities that she didn't understand before getting up and slipping on his shoes. "Next time you won't be so lucky," he grumbled.

As they chatted idly over breakfast, it was obvious that he didn't remember exactly what he had said the night before and, to be honest, Elizabeta was a little relieved. It would have probably just have made things awkward.

Their meal was cut short as a tall man with dark skin interrupt them. He eyed Elizabeta in a way that made her grit her teeth before speaking. "Ah, Gilbert, it's been a long time. How much did you pay this one to keep you company?" he said with a cocky laugh. She balled her fists and looked over at Gilbert to see just how he'd react.

"Sadiq," Gilbert said with a grin. Despite how he attempted to appear, it was clear to Elizabeta that expression was forced. "What brings you here? I thought you preferred more discrete places to do business. Or are you no longer in the business of selling secrets?"

Sadiq didn't lose his composure, but he seemed to grow a few inches. He was definitely someone who knew how to use his size to his advantage. "Oh, come now, let's not discuss such things in the presence of a… lady." As he spoke, it was clear he had noticed her practical and not so traditional clothing.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Elizabeta said standing up and pounding her fists on the table. He may have been intimidating to most, but he didn't scare her. Instead, he just made her angry.

"Not at all," Sadiq said flashing a grin. "I merely wanted to see what Gilbert had been up to since we last saw each other. Last I heard, you were in the pirate business. How's that going for you?"

"You could have fooled me," Elizabeta interrupted crossing her arms. "Are you this pleasant with everyone? It may be in your best interest to watch what you say."

Sadiq laughed, but it was clear that he was not happy. "I could say the same for you. It is unwise to challenge someone more skilled than yourself."

"We'll see about that," Elizabeta replied reaching for her sword. Normally, she wasn't quite so rash, but this man made her upset.

"If it's a duel you want, I'm happy to oblige. I never back down from a challenge. Even if you are a woman," Sadiq replied pulling out his weapon.

Elizabeta didn't even bother to look around before swinging her sword. As expected, it was easily blocked by the tall man. He pushed her back with the force of the block before making his own attack. She narrowly dodged it by rolling under a table.

Before Sadiq could take another swing, there was a blade at his throat. Elizabeta gaped in surprise when she pulled herself up and saw exactly what had happened. She had nearly forgotten about Gilbert's presence.

"This really isn't the place to fight," he said with the sort of calmness that he only used when he was commanding his men. "It was nice to see you again Sadiq, but we have business to attend to elsewhere."

Elizabeta wasn't sure how to respond as Gilbert grabbed her hand and led her away from the tavern. Neither of them said anything as Sadiq called after them in frustration. "This isn't over. I hope you are more prepared next time we meet, girl."

In fact, it wasn't until they were a good distance off that Gilbert finally spoke. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," Elizabeta said looking down at her shoes. How could she have been so stupid as to challenge someone at her skill level?

Gilbert just laughed much to her surprise. Part of her wanted to lash out because he was laughing at her, and part of her was just relieved that he wasn't angry with her. "Stop laughing," she said smiling despite herself.

"Well, you're funny when you're angry," he said.

"What was that?" Elizabeta responded, flashing him one of her father's looks that could send any man running.

Gilbert backed away and held up his hands in surrender. "Next time," he said flashing her a grin, "don't expect me to come to your rescue. I may be awesome, but I won't always be there to save you."

"Who said I need your saving, Prussian?" Elizabeta said with a grin of her own. Maybe was being foolish, but the longer she spent with the annoying, cocky pirate, the more fond of him she grew. She didn't know of anyone that she had ever felt quite so comfortable with.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for making you guys wait for so long. It's almost been a year. O.O I had MASSSIVE writers block, my computer broke, and I just had a lot of things happen, but to be honest no amount of excuses can make up for my lateness. Please forgive me. I'm going to aim for updates every two to three weeks if possible. However, because of how awful I've been to my poor readers (if there are still any of you) I'm going to crank out a second update in the next few days. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and happy Halloween!

Gilbert had spent the last 30 minutes staring at the door in front of him. It really shouldn't have been this difficult. However, he had never been so nervous in his life. The Prussian was a man of confidence and there had never been any challenge that had ever been too difficult for him. This time, though, was different. The outcome was uncertain and his awesomeness could only get him so far this time.

With a deep breath and a firm grip on a small grouping of red tulips, he finally worked up the courage to knock. There was no response and he found himself slightly disappointed much to his surprise. To be honest, he didn't even know why he was doing this in the first place, so disappointment was the last thing he expected to feel.

His hand hovered for a moment as he debated leaving and saving himself from this foolishness. Something held him in place. Perhaps, it was optimism, perhaps, it was stupidity; he wasn't entirely sure which. Either way, he couldn't bring himself to give up quite so easily. The sound of the door opening brought him from his thoughts and he nearly dropped the flowers.

" _Jó napot_ ," a very sleepy looking Elizabeta muttered as she peeked around the side of the door.

"I brought you something," Gilbert said a bit more quietly than he had originally intended. Looking up at her, he could tell that it had either been too quiet for to hear or too out of character for her to believe that she had heard correctly. Why was this so hard? He coughed before speaking a little louder. "I, uh… Take your stupid smelly flowers." Before she could respond, he found himself shoving the flowers into her hands. A warmth spread across his face and he wanted nothing more to fade from existence.

For a moment, Elizabeta stared at him with wide eyes. Quickly, that changed into an expression that was somewhere between embarrassment and astonishment. Her face lit up and she looked down at the tulips. There was a moment of silence and that was more than enough for Gilbert to be sure that he had made a fool of himself.

He rushed towards the stairs feeling sick to his stomach. There was nothing he wanted more than to leave the inn and board his ship. Being on land for so long had clearly gotten to him. Gilbert needed a good raid. Yeah, that sounded like the perfect thing to clear his head of these foolish thoughts.

"I'll send Luddy to come get you when it's time to leave," he shouted over his shoulder without glancing back. "Don't make us wait." The last thing he heard before traveling down the staircase was the slam of a door.

~~~~~

Elizabeta stood with her back against the door for quite some time just staring at the small bouquet. Who would have thought that such a trivial thing would make her heart pound like this? Part of her was mad at herself for feeling this way, but it was quickly overruled by the giddy feelings bubbling up from her chest. He had remembered.

She smiled slightly before allowing herself to bring the flowers up to her nose and take in their scent. It reminded her a little of home. Her smile faded slightly as she thought back to weeks before; had she really made the right decision?

Shaking her head, Elizabeta forced herself to get rid of such thoughts. They would only get in her way now. It was too late for regrets. Besides, she had a reason for leaving. Roderich was a good man, but he wasn't the right man for her. She would never truly be happy with him. Not like she was with… Wait, she wasn't really about to think that, was she?

"Nope. Definitely. Not. Ever," she said as if clarifying for some invisible viewer that was judging her. Gilbert was arrogant, rude, and loud. There was absolutely no way in hell she was going to have any feelings other than annoyance for him.

It was a short time before there was another knock on her door. This time, much to her relief, it was Ludwig. She quickly gathered up her things before they made their way for the ship. The red tulips she had received that morning were now in a chipped wooden mug that she had purchased from the innkeeper, but she was certain that they would not last very long once they reached the ship. The men would probably not be very careful around them. However, she just couldn't bring herself to get rid of them.

Elizabeta caught Ludwig looking at the tulips as they walked. She smiled gently at the boy before breaking the silence. "Do you like them? They're called _Tulipán_. You should see _Anya_ 's garden. These are her favorite."

"They remind me of someone," he said looking away perhaps a little too quickly. A blush spread across his face making it clear that it wasn't just 'somone'.

"She must be pretty to make you blush like that," Elizabeta said with a slight giggle.

Ludwig's eyes were wide as he looked back at her. "He's not… uh, I mean, i-it's not like that," he tried, obviously flustered.

She merely raised an eyebrow at his response. It was a little surprising to hear that he liked another boy, but to be honest, she thought it was kind of adorable. Not to mention, she had never seen this side of the overly serious kid.

Ludwig stopped and looked down at his shoes. "What does it mean when you can't stop thinking about someone?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Elizabeta looked over at him with a reassuring smile before answering. "It can mean a lot of things. But I think that it means that they are someone important. Someone worth thinking about all the time."

"What if they don't think about you?" This time he looked over to the flowers in her hand.

"Well," she started, "that means that they don't know what they are missing. If he knows you as well as I do, and keep in mind I've only know you for a few weeks, then I'm sure that he's thinking about you just as much as you are thinking about him."

"Really?" His eyes lit up for a moment before he caught himself.

He coughed and looked away embarrassed again before starting off in the direction of the ship. Elizabeta couldn't help but laugh. Despite their differences, Ludwig and Gilbert were definitely brothers. The thought made her realize one thing, though. Perhaps, the tulips had meant more than Gilbert had let on.

"Don't tell my Bruder," Ludwig said when she caught up.

"On one condition," she paused with a grin and upon receiving an inquisitive look she continued on. "You have to introduce me to the boy who my tulips remind you of when we see him next."

**Jó napot (Hungarian)- Good Morning**

**Tulipán (Hungarian)- Tulip**

**Anya (Hungarian)- Mother**


	7. Chapter 7

Gilbert walked over to Elizabeta and Ludwig after giving the usual speech to his crew. It had been nearly three months since they had last docked and the men were eager to get ashore. As per usual, Jakob had been given the responsibility of restocking so that Gilbert to could do whatever it was that suited his fancy.

“So, I should probably warn you,” Gilbert said when they were out of earshot of the crew, “we’re going to go see a few old friends of mine.”

“You have friends? This is a surprise,” Elizabeta said with a grin.

“How could someone this awesome not have friends,” Gilbert shot back.

“What he means to say is that his friends are a little… peculiar,” Ludwig said ignoring their previous comments. “Francis will try to charm you, but if you flat out tell him no he’ll probably leave you alone. Antonio’s not too bad, if you don’t mind cheesy jokes. He’s also usually accompanied by a couple of annoying Italians named Feliciano and Lovino.”

“Heh, it’s funny that you say that they’re annoying when you’re always so eager to see them,” Gilbert said with one of his obnoxious laughs. Ludwig’s face turned bright red which only gave Gilbert more satisfaction.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied with a huff that produced a giggle from Elizabeta.

Rain began to fall, distracting Gilbert from pressing the matter any further. Unfortunately, they still had a short ways to walk. He stopped and looked up at the clouds to see just how bad the storm would be. The sky had gotten rather dark. Well, at least they weren’t going to be at sea.

He looked over just in time to see an ill-equipped Elizabeta shiver. Why was she never prepared? Without a word, he took off his coat and put it over her shoulders. He didn’t really need it anyways. What sort of Captain would he be if he couldn’t handle a little rain? For a moment it looked as if she was going to protest, but he didn’t even give her a chance. Instead, he simply walked up next to Ludwig and found something trivial to talk about.

When they finally reached the tavern, the rain had turned into a thunder storm. Each of them were soaked and eager to get inside. However, before Elizabeta could open the door Gilbert stopped her. Just seconds before, the sky had lit up and he couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass.

He pushed the door open with a bit more force than necessary just as the thunder hit causing nearly half of the patrons to look over at him in bewilderment. He was certain that Elizabeta and Ludwig were rolling their eyes behind him, but he didn’t really care. His grin said it all.

“Ah, Gilbert you always know how to make an entrance.”

Just as he turned to face the source of the familiar voice, Francis put his arm around Gilbert’s shoulders. Antonio walked up to him with one of his always welcoming smiles.

“That and a mess,” Antonio added with a laugh.

Before Gilbert could retort, he was nearly mowed over by a small teenager with auburn hair. His eyes followed Feliciano as he made his way towards Ludwig and enveloped him in a hug. Despite the fact that this happened every time that their little group met, surprise was written all over his face. However, that quickly faded into a soft smile that his brother only had when he was around the Italian boy. This time, Gilbert would spare him from the teasing and let him enjoy the moment.

Of course, Francis didn’t fail to make the first move when Elizabeta made her presence known with a giggle at Feliciano’s reaction to Ludwig. “Oh, Gilbert, who is this beautiful mademoiselle?” As he spoke he grabbed her hand and moved to kiss the back of it. Gilbert felt a ping of jealousy, but he didn’t even have to act. Elizabeta quickly swiped her hand away from the man’s grasp.

“Your flattery may work on other women, but not on me,” she said. She was definitely taking Ludwig’s advice to heart. It kind of made Gilbert a little happy to be honest. Though he would never admit it.

“You must forgive, Francis,” Antonio said with a laugh. “He is far too much of a romantic for his own good. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Antonio and the two over there are Lovino and Feliciano.”

“I am Elizabeta,” she said with a smile. “It’s nice to meet at least one man who knows how to talk to a lady.” She sent a glance over at Gilbert as she said the last part. “I have no interest in playing games with boys that have too much time on their hands.” This time she sent her gaze in Francis’s direction.

“I am hurt that you would think that I am only interested in ‘playing games,’” he said. “My love is always true.”

“Is that what you told the barmaid last time or the paper boy the time before?” Gilbert teased. Oh how he had missed this.

“Yes, and I meant it. Love is meant to be shared, not to be confined,” Francis said passionately.

“I think that love is meant to be permanent,” Antonio pointed out. “It means more when it is only given to one person.”

“Love is overrated,” Gilbert interjected only to be hit in the arm by Elizabeta. The others laughed, but he only looked over at her in confusion. Their eyes met for just a moment, but she quickly looked away. What was that about?

They shared stories over the next few hours until a boy a little older than Ludwig interrupted their gathering. He was frantic and it was clear that he carried an important message by the way that walked over to them.

“Captain,” he said addressing Francis. “The Spanish have been tipped off of your arrival. They are saying that any pirates found on Spanish soil are to be hanged in the morning.”

**Mademoiselle (French)- Young woman**


	8. Chapter 8

It took Elizabeta a couple moments to register exactly what was happening. They needed to leave and fast. She didn't even hesitate to grab her coat and head over to Ludwig's table. Gilbert was probably going to say something stupid about not being scared, but she wasn't going to risk something happening to the children.

Just as she realized that one of their little group was missing, she hear a very distressed Antonio speak up behind her. "Where's Lovino?"

"Oh, he stepped outside," Feliciano said before realizing that there was something very wrong. "Why? What happened? Is he in danger? Is Lovino ok?"

Elizabeta looked over at Antonio. His face was pale and he looked like he was about to be sick. Despite this he managed to keep his voice even as he spoke to Gilbert and Francis. "I'm sorry to ask this, but I need one of you to take Feliciano with you. I have to go after Lovino."

Francis didn't even hesitate before nodding, "I under-"

"No," Feliciano interrupted standing up from the table. "I'm not going anywhere until someone explains what is going on. What's wrong with Lovino?"

"The Spanish are going to hang any pirates that they find. We need to leave before that happens," Elizabeta explained. She didn't bother to spare any details simply because he was a child. He deserved to know just as much as the rest of them.

"But Lovino..." Felicino trailed off eyes wide. "We have to go find him."

"Exactly. That's why I need you to go with them," Antonio said.

"I'm coming with you. He's my fratello," Feliciano insisted a couple of stray tears running down his face.

"You can't," this time it was Ludwig who spoke up. His voice was pleading rather than commanding. "Please, come with us."

"I'm not leaving without him," Feliciano said, but it was clear that his resolve was weakening.

Antonio stepped forward and looked the auburn haired boy directly in the eye. "I will not allow any harm to come to him. Please trust me." After a few seconds, Feliciano gave in with a nod and that was all Antonio needed to know.

He started for the door, but not before Elizabeta stopped him. "We will take good care of him. Be careful." He didn't say anything and she knew why. He had the look of a man who was determined to follow through no matter the cost. It was the same look she had seen so many times in the eyes of someone else.

As Antonio left, she walked up next to Gilbert. She hadn't noticed until then, but he had been uncharacteristically silent since they had received the news of danger. His eyes were serious and she knew instantly that it was because he was figuring out a plan. Despite all of the times she had called him stupid or goofy, she knew that when it came down to it he could be quite the opposite.

"Elizabeta, you and Ludwig are going to take Feliciano back to the ship. I want you to pretend that you are normal villagers, travelers, whatever you feel like. Make sure to draw as little attention to yourself as possible. Leave your sword with me and take this instead. They won't be looking for woman and children, so as long as you keep a low profile, you will be fine," Gilbert said.

As he spoke, he removed as dagger that he had strapped to his thigh and handed it to her. In return she handed him her sword. The dagger was far from an ideal weapon in this situation, but he was right, so she wasn't going to disagree. Instead, she nodded and waited to hear the rest of the plan. For a second, it looked like he had more to say to her, but instead he turned his attention to Francis.

"Francis, you and I," he paused before grinning, "well, we'll be us. We draw enough attention to draw half the guardsmen by simply walking down the street, so we'll do just that. You can handle a few Spanish guards, can't you?"

"Easy work," Francis said with a laugh.

"Good. Ludwig," he said looking over at his brother, "don't let him out of your sight. If it comes down to it, run for the ship. Don't fight. Don't stop for anything. Just run." Then he did something that Elizabeta had never seen him do. He wrapped his arms around his brother and pulled him into a hug. "Don't get hurt."

"You too," Ludwig said quietly. It was clear that he didn't like the plan, but he wasn't one to argue and he trusted Gilbert's judgment.

Gilbert then gave a nod to Francis and they began towards the door. However, something in Elizabeta didn't want to let Gilbert go. What if something happened? Sure he could handle himself in a fight, but this was different. These weren't just some sailors, these were trained guards. And even the best fighters weren't invincible.

By the time she resolved to stop him, they were already on the street. She called after them, but there was too much chaos. Too much noise. All she could do was watch as they disappeared from view. She didn't even realize that she was crying until she felt a warm hand wrap around hers.

"They will be fine, signorina."

That's right. She had a job of her own to do. Elizabeta wiped her tears away with her sleeve. She looked down at Feliciano then over to Ludwig before taking a deep breath and stepping out onto the street.

**Fratello (Italian)- Brother**

**Signorina (Italian)- young woman**


End file.
